AJLPP Update

Mindanao Situation

August 25, 2008

AJLPP Condemns US Intervention and US-Arroyo –Regime’s Escalation of the Military Offensive in Mindanao

Los Angeles—“We want peace now, stop the Philippine military offensives in Mindanao.”

The Alliance-Philippines strongly demanded that the US-Arroyo regime stop all military offensives in Mindanao and return to negotiations. The AJLPP also condemned the US armed intervention in Mindanao. This as the number of war refugees swelled up to 300,000 from 210,000 in two weeks as the conflict escalates.

The AJLPP also supports the stand of Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo that “arming civilians would not help the government’s efforts to restore peace in southern Philippines. He said, “We are against it, because violence can never be a solution. It will not solve the problem,”

The Philippine National Police has been providing arms to select civilian volunteers as fighting between government troops and Muslim rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) continued in Mindanao. In a report posted on the GMA-News TV website, the national police chief, Director General Avelino Razon Jr., said that 1,000 shotguns from the national police would be shipped to Mindanao and given to those who have been “selected, screened and trained.”

The shotguns would also be given to deputized village watchmen and civilian volunteer organizations that have undergone “rigid screening and training.” The MILF attacks were aimed at preempting the efforts of armed Christian vigilantes in the Lanao and Cotabato provinces.

Pabillo, also the chairman of the bishops’ group’s social-action arm, said arming civilians could only stir up more clashes between soldiers and rebels. “The conflict [in Mindanao] will never end and [arming civilians] will not bring peace,” the chairman of the group’s National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace added.

Community Forum in LA August 13

A Community Forum wss held by the Alliance-Philippines-LA in solidarity with the oppressed Moro people of Mindanao at the Manila Terrace Social Hall last August 13,2008. Several speakers discussed important issues on the present Philippine situation.

The first speaker, Rene De Guzman of the Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP) discussed the present deplorable human rights situation in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Arturo P. Garcia. Deputy coordinator of the AJLPP explained the stalled peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDF is being repeated in he case of the negoatiaons between the GRP and the MILF.. He pointed out the fact that NDF consultants like Randall Echanis and five others are imprisoned and kept in jail by the US-Arroyo regime.

Bangsa Moro Caucus chair, Joe Navidad facilitated a phone patch with Moro leader Sammy Maulana, secretary general of the Bangsa Moro Consortium of Civil Society. Maulana explained the present military offensive and the complications that resulted from unsigned MOA between the GRP and the MILF.

A lively Q and A portion followed after the discussions. KmB chair Christine Araquel acted as the emcee during the program. The AJLPP announced there would be follow up discussions and forum on the present situation about the Philippines.

For more information please call ajlpp at (213) 241-0906 or email us at magsasakapil@hotmail or visit our blogspot@alliancephilippines, blogspot, com

The Alliance-Philippines strongly demanded that the US-Arroyo regime stop all military offensives in Mindanao and return to negotiations. The AJLPP also condemned the US armed intervention in Mindanao. This as the number of war refugees swelled up to 300,000 from 210,000 in two weeks as the conflict escalates.